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Fever

Fever is a body temperature of 100.5° F or higher (when taken by mouth) that most often goes up and down over the course of a day. Fever is usually caused by an infection. Other causes of fever include inflammatory illness, drug reactions, or tumor growth. Sometimes, the cause may not be known. In an infection, the fever is a result of the body “heating up” to try to fight invading germs. A fever is an important natural defense against germs.

People getting chemo are more likely to have infections because they have lower numbers of the white blood cells needed to fight them. (See the section called “Blood counts.”) You can buy an easy-to-use, oral thermometer (one made to take your temperature by mouth) at any drugstore so you can check to see if you have a fever.

What to look for

Increased skin temperature

Feeling warm

Feeling tired

Headache

Feeling cold

Shaking chills

Body aches

Skin rashes

Any new area of redness or swelling

Pus or yellowish discharge from an injury or other location

New cough or shortness of breath

New belly pain

Burning or pain when urinating

Sore throat

The patient is confused, becomes forgetful, isn’t making sense, or can’t tell you where they are. (See the section called “Confusion.”)

What the patient can do

If you start feeling warm or cold, check your temperature by mouth every 2 to 3 hours. If you can’t hold a thermometer in your mouth, put it under your armpit.